For some stupid reason, Martin's school did not do individual school photos this year. Or else he missed the day and didn't find out if there was a make-up day. I have heard from two other friends with kids his age that their schools didn't do photos either. WTH? Now I have to find time to take him to a photographer if I don't want to have a gaping hole in the parade o' school photos that every child's life (at least in the Western world) is not complete without.

Warning: this post is going to be all over the place. I blame Megsie who encouraged me to post every day, and gnostraeh who made me think about ups and downs.

This is usually one of the busiest times of the year at work but due to the fact that we are at full strength (something we have never been until this year), we are finding ourselves actually wondering if we will run out of things to do. Of course, the second I put the period to that previous sentence, the universe heard me and I will be regretting it tomorrow. Bring it on, universe! I hate being bored, anyway.

I bought Christmas presents today. 3 of them, including a stocking stuffer. I almost bought another one, but it was pretty expensive and I am having second thoughts. We'll see, since it was on a wish list that has only 3 items. It's Father's Day here in Sweden on Sunday, so I was supposed to be shopping for some Father's Day presents, but got distracted by making headway on the Xmas to-do list.

I have begun to dislike November intensely. Both it and February can go suck it. It's dark and rainy and sodden and depressing. At least if we have a snowy winter this year, it will lighten things up, so I find myself hoping for some of the white stuff...though maybe not quite yet.

They finally started stocking bird seed in our local grocery stores. I had been able to find suet balls a few weeks back and bought some along with a new, big-bird-proof suet-ball feeder. Anders told me I was spoiling the birds. But I don't care. They are SO thrilled to have birdseed and it's fun to watch them flitting about between the trees and our trellis. I went out and got the bird feeder to fill it and discovered that there were sunflower SPROUTS growing in the clump of old, sodden seeds that had been there since last winter. I know, I should have cleaned it out in the spring, but somehow I never got a round to it.*

Karin is taking a course to become a district soccer referee. She has been refereeing for her club for a couple of years and really likes it and is, from all reports, really good at it. She has to attend several classes and then work several games (unpaid) under supervision, but once she's certified, she'll make more money (and she makes quite a bit already). Of course, it means that she might have some much longer distances to go to get to the matches where she's working, which could turn out to be problematic, but I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

I'm considering making it a law in the house that no one is allowed to take a phone or iPad into the bathroom with them. Am I the only person this bugs? My family, ALL of them, sit in there for AGES, and you know it's not because they're constipated. They're watching YouTube videos or whatever. I bet it gets vetoed if I try it, though. Poor me and Obama. We've both lost control.

I just checked my books-to-buy list and it has 321 titles on it. OY. I ask for books from my book list every year for my birthday and for Christmas, but obviously everyone is falling down on the job. Or else there are just too many good books out there. Or else I'm just way too covetous. Or else the good authors write too many books.Yeah, that's it.

November and February are the worst months in Sweden by far. Although yeaterday's snow has gone some of the way to brightening my day.

"I almost bought another one, but it was pretty expensive and I am having second thoughts." Buy! Buy! Don't hesitate! I'll be waiting by the letterbox. Nothing can be too expensive if it's for me. ♥ ♥ ♥

I also put out bird seed and suet balls in the garden and get the same enjoyment as you do watching the little ones flit about and eat. I don't care if I'm spoiling the birds - I get so much entertainment from it that it's a small price to pay. I freely admit that I go overboard and I have far too many feeders and seed varieties (Anders would be appalled if he saw them all) but I'm happy. It's cheaper and more fun than therapy :-)

Go Karin! I can think that she'd be tough by fair on the pitch. I hope that goers well for her and her chauffeur.

I'm so with you on the bathroom ban. I'd also like to ban them from the table - is it only me who thinks it incredibly rude to be scrolling through this nonsense and ignoring everyone at the table?

Well, I've given up on keeping a wish list of books. I badger the library to loan them in or get them on Kindle if I can. I haven't anymore bookshelf space as it is. I wish I lived in a mansion that I could fill with books....